1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fasteners, such as for fastening sheet-metal parts.
2. Background of the Related Art
Sheet metal parts are among the variety of parts that can be joined using fasteners. Sheet metal parts are commonly found in computer equipment such as computer chassis. A variety of mechanical fasteners and methods of fastening parts are known in the art. Examples of fasteners include rivets, nuts-and-bolts, and screws. Fastening methods also include welding or epoxy bonding. A variety of alignment features and methods of aligning parts to be assembled are also known in the art. An example of an alignment feature is a pin. Many fasteners can also be used as an alignment feature. For example, rivets, bolts, screws, and other fasteners are commonly used to fix the location of one part with respect to another part.
A variety of trade-offs and difficulties arise in the assembly of parts. For example, manufacturing tolerances in multi-part assemblies can “stack up,” so that fasteners or alignment/locator features do not line up as intended. Depending on the fastener used, tolerance stack-up can cause manufacturing difficulties. Many fasteners and fastening methods create a permanent joint, which, despite their associated benefits, may also have some disadvantages. For example, parts may be welded or bonded using epoxy to produce a very strong joint, with a potential drawback that the parts cannot be easily separated without damaging them. Another manufacturing issue is that tools and automated machinery are frequently required to fasten parts. The complexity of tools or machinery used to assemble parts is a factor in the overall cost and feasibility of manufacturing an assembly. Another problem with conventional fastening methods is that fasteners may undesirably protrude from a surface of a part.